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Now that it has been some time since free agency began and we’ve all had time to process the signings thus far, lets now examine what has to be the biggest signing:Marian Hossa to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hossa committed to the Indian on a 12-year, $ 62.8 million contract.

On the surface, it’s easy for Red Wings fans to be a bit miffed about this.Hossa left for a mere one million dollars more a season than what the Red Wings were able to offer him.Also, the Red Wings and the Blackhawks are not exactly B.F.F.As someone who was brainwashed by her father to love the Red Wings since…well, birth, there’s a natural hatred toward the Blackhawks

I take that back.I don’t hate the Blackhawks.Their youth and undeniable talent are not just wonderful for the once struggling franchise but wonderful for the NHL on a marketing standpoint alone.

I just hate their fans.Their pompous, obnoxious, bandwagon fans.But I digress…

Hossa played an integral role in aiding the Red Wings to yet another 100-point season by contributing 40 goals but was a disappointment during the playoffs, scoring only six goals over the course of 23 games.In a town that believes that the season doesn’t start until April, six goals just won’t cut it from an elite player.

Here’s where Red Wings fans are laughing:The Blackhawks are setting themselves up for salary cap hell.With the Hossa signing, along with the two-year, $ 2.4 million signing of fellow Slovakian (and hetero-life partner) Tomas Kopecky, it’s going to put the Blackhawks up against the cap when Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane AND Duncan Keith’s contracts are up next summer.

Oh and did I mention that with Nikolai Khabibulin going to the Edmonton Oilers that leaves the mighty Blackhawks with Cristobal Huet in net, in addition to having to still deal with six restricted free agents, including Calder Trophy nominee Kris Versteeg, with just under $ 9 million left in cap space...BEFORE THE 2009-2010 SEASON EVEN BEGINS?!

The Blackhawks are the Red Wings biggest competition in the Central Division.With all of these financial issues in the present and not-so-distant future, the Blackhawks may be forced to break up their core or trade away a bunch of role players in order to keep their core intact.

Truth be told, it would have been nice to keep Hossa.What franchise wouldn’t want to keep him?But at the end of the day, is he really worth the cap headache?

When it comes to being electric in the regular season and virtually disappearing in the playoffs, when production matters the most,the answer is “no”.Call me crazy but I’ll take my chances and role with young players like Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader.

You know, guys who actually scored in the Stanley Cup Finals.

FUN UPDATE: Sean Leahy over at the NHL Blog Puck Daddy (a very good read, might I add) on Yahoo! Sports posted a very interesting story about how a mailing error could cause the Blackhawks six RFA's to become UFA's. I would elaborate but I'm laughing so hard it's preventing me from typing properly and at a significant rate.

It's because of situations like this that make me love Ken Holland even more than I already do.